Updated June 27, 2022
A Missouri lease agreement is written and agreed upon by a landlord and a tenant for a period of time and covers the exchange of a place to live or conduct business in exchange for the payment of rent. The tenant’s credit and income will most likely be verified by the landlord before a lease is signed. At lease signing, the tenant will be obligated to pay the first (1st) month’s rent and a security deposit (if any).
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Agreement Types (8)
Association of Realtors Lease Agreement – To be used and written by a licensed Realtor when handling a transaction between a landlord and tenant.
Download: Adobe PDF
Apartment Association of Missouri Lease – For any standard fixed term housing arrangement.
Download: Adobe PDF
Commercial Lease Agreement – For any business-related use such as occupying retail, office, or industrial space.
Download: Adobe PDF, MS Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Month-to-Month Lease Agreement – Known as a tenancy at will and should be written according to Section 441.060 providing at least one (1) month’s notice to cancel at any time.
Download: Adobe PDF, MS Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Rent-to-Own Lease Agreement – Standard residential contract with language providing for the purchase of the property if the tenant chooses to buy.
Download: Adobe PDF, MS Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Room Rental (Roommate) Agreement – For individuals sharing common areas within one (1) dwelling.
Download: Adobe PDF, MS Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Standard Residential Lease Agreement – Fixed-term lease typically for a 1-year agreement.
Download: Adobe PDF, MS Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Sublease Agreement – For the purpose of a tenant that is legally bound to an existing arrangement with the landlord and would like another individual to fill-in and pay rent until the end of their term.
Download: Adobe PDF, MS Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Required Disclosures (1)
Lead-Based Paint Disclosure – Required by any landlord, per federal law, whose housing unit was built prior to 1978.
Security Deposits
Maximum (Section 535.300) – Two (2) months’ rent.
Returning (Section 535.300) – Within thirty (30) days of the termination of tenancy by the landlord the deposit must be returned to the tenant.
When is Rent Due?
There is no grace period and no date set in state law, so rent is due on the day set out in the lease agreement.
Maximum Fees
Late Rent – There is no law limiting the fee a landlord may charge for providing rent late, but the fee must be reasonable and must be named in the lease agreement.
Not Sufficient Funds (NSF Checks) – There is no Mississippi law on fees that landlords may impose for providing a rent check that bounces, but, as with late fees, any fee should be identified in the lease agreement and should be reasonable.
Right to Enter (Landlord)
There is no statute that requires the landlord to give the tenant notice before entering the property for any non-emergency reason.
Laws & Guides
- Laws – Title XXIX, Chapter 441 (Landlord and Tenant), Title XXXVI, Chapter 535 (Landlord-Tenant Actions)
- Guide – Missouri Landlord-Tenant Law (by the Attorney General)